Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes scored a last-gasp winner to secure a much needed 2-1 victory over Rangers in the Europa League group stage at Old Trafford.
The win lifted United to fourth in the standings on 15 points going into the last round of matches and in a strong position to reach the knockout phase.
It was a welcome result for manager Ruben Amorim who had said after Sunday’s defeat to Brighton that his team was “the worst, maybe, in the history” of the storied club.
While United’s Premier League campaign still looks dire, with the 20-time English champions 13th in the standings, their Europa League fate is in their own hands going into next week’s game against FCSB in Romania.
On Thursday, United dominated the early stages with Argentine striker Alejandro Garnacho firing in a couple of good shots and the hosts thought they had taken the lead when Matthijs de Ligt headed home from a corner, but the goal was disallowed due to a foul by Leny Yoro on Rangers defender Davy Propper.
Rangers also posed a threat and a long-range attempt from Hamza Igamane was brilliantly saved by United goalkeeper Altay Bayındır.
The deadlock was broken early in the second half when Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland misjudged Christian Eriksen's corner and sent the ball into his own net.
Substitute Cyril Dessers gave the visitors real hope of a point two minutes from time when he latched onto James Tavernier's through ball and unleashed a left-footed shot into the far corner of the net.
Rangers joy was short-lived though, as Fernandes struck in stoppage time to seal his side's fourth successive victory in the competition, with former manager Alex Ferguson celebrating in the stands.
"I think we started well and then we lost control of the game because of some bad decisions but the lads did well," United manager Ruben Amorim told TNT Sports.
"We are not playing our best but we regrouped from the last game. I know the opponent is different. It wasn't as fast. You can see the connections. I think we need to be more clinical in the right moments because that can help us a lot," he added.
Amorim called the victory "truly needed" amid their domestic struggles.
"We didn't deserve that draw at the moment, it was fair for us to win the game, a game we knew is tough," Amorim said.
"We started well, the pace of the game helped us because it's different and you could feel it, we tried to do things, we were better with the ball, sometimes we control it well...and sometimes we lose control, but I think we created the best chances to win the game and we deserved to win.
"This was a victory that we truly needed in this moment."
Son shines for Spurs
Tottenham also got some respite from their Premier League woes as a Son Heung-min double helped Spurs secure a 3-2 win at Hoffenheim to put them on course for the knockout rounds.
Goals from Son and James Maddison lifted Spurs up to provisional fourth in the revamped league phase of European club football's second-tier competition.
It also took some pressure off manager Ange Postecoglou with his injury-ravaged team arriving in Germany after failing to win their last six Premier League games.
Postecoglou had promised to win silverware for the first time for the London side since 2008 in his second season as boss.
With Spurs struggling in 15th behind Liverpool at home, that leaves the Europa League, FA Cup and League Cup to fulfil his promise.
A win against Swedish outfit Elfsborg in their closing league phase game at home next week will give them an automatic ticket to the next round.
"I told them to enjoy it," Postecoglou told TNT Sports.
"Winning away in Europe, it's a significant victory for us and gives us a good foothold to get into those top eight spots which will give us a week off," the Australian added.
There was, however, some more bad news on the injury front as it was revealed that striker Dominic Solanke is likely to be out for around six weeks because of a knee injury.
Solanke sustained the injury in training last week and missed the Premier League game against Everton on Sunday and Thursday's Europa League win.
“With Dom, the information now is that we are looking at around the six-week mark," Postecoglou said. “No surgery. Maybe we can get him back a little bit earlier, just see how he progresses. But, at this stage, it’s saying around six weeks."
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tottenham 0-1 Ajax, Tuesday
Second leg
Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm
Game is on BeIN Sports
'Shakuntala Devi'
Starring: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra
Director: Anu Menon
Rating: Three out of five stars
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Scores in brief:
Day 1
New Zealand (1st innings) 153 all out (66.3 overs) - Williamson 63, Nicholls 28, Yasir 3-54, Haris 2-11, Abbas 2-13, Hasan 2-38
Pakistan (1st innings) 59-2 (23 overs)
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
Manchester City transfers:
OUTS
Pablo Zabaleta, Bacary Sagna, Gael Clichy, Willy Caballero and Jesus Navas (all released)
INS
Ederson (Benfica) £34.7m, Bernardo Silva (Monaco) £43m
ON THEIR WAY OUT?
Joe Hart, Eliaquim Mangala, Samir Nasri, Wilfried Bony, Fabian Delph, Nolito and Kelechi Iheanacho
ON THEIR WAY IN?
Dani Alves (Juventus), Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)
